‘Laapataa Ladies’ writer addresses plagiarism claims: References Shakespeare and Tagore

Kiran Rao’s celebrated film, ‘Laapataa Ladies’ is facing plagiarism accusations. A social media user recently posted the clip of an Arabic short film, ‘Burqa City’ directed by French filmmaker Fabrice Bracq. After the clip went viral, netizens noted the uncanny similarities between the films. This disappointed and enraged several fans as the film received widespread acclaim. Notably, given that the title was India’s entry to the Oscars, the possibility of plagiarism aggravated the disappointment. Now, the film’s writer Biplab Goswami has issued a statement rebuffing the allegations.

Taking to Instagram, ‘Laapataa Ladies’ writer Biplab Goswami released his statement over the claims. He claimed that he conceived the synopsis of the film way back in 2014 and registered it with the Screenwriters Association. This was well before the Arabic film in question released. Goswami added that in 2018, he registered the feature-length script titled ‘Two Brides’ with the SWA. Additionally, he reveals having won an award at the Cinestaan Storytellers Competition that same year.

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Directly addressing the similarities between the police’s reaction to misplaced brides, Goswami claims to have mentioned the scene in his filing. “Again, in this screenplay, I had the scene of the policeman amused by the photograph of the veiled bride.” Moreover, he noted that the veil contributing to mistaken identities was a common trope in art. “The concept of veils and disguises resulting in mistaken identities is a classical form of storytelling used for centuries by writers such as William Shakespeare, Alexandre Dumas and Rabindranath Tagore.”

Denying plagiarism allegations, he wrote, “The story, the dialogues, the characters, and the scenes – all stem from years of research and honest reflection.” He further reiterated, “Our story, characters, and dialogues are 100% original. Any allegations of plagiarism are completely untrue.”

For context, read: Kiran Rao’s ‘Laapataa Ladies’ accused of plagiarising Arabic film ‘Burqa City’; internet reacts

Meanwhile, Kiran Rao’s ‘Laapataa Ladies’ followed the lives of two wives. They get separated from their husbands after an accidental swap occurs at the train station. This happens as their veils cover their faces. The story focuses on how the women navigate the circumstances and learn to depend on themselves. Subsequently, hey embark on the journey to find themselves and what they seek, be it reunion, or independence.

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